On Friday 27 February, Big Think partner PwC hosted its second global webcast focused on the question, ‘What would you do if you were not afraid?’ The webcast was part of ‘Aspire to Lead: The PwC Women’s...

Designers of the new federal system for sending emergency alerts to our cell phones devoted at lot attention to setting up the technical aspects, but not enough to figuring out what the messages should say....

Tay Yoshitani

CEO, Port of Seattle

Tay Yoshitani joined the Port of Seattle as its CEO in March 2007. He carries out policies set by the Port Commission and leads the Port’s operating divisions, including the 8th largest container port in the nation, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which welcomed more than 31 million passengers in 2009.

When he took the helm, Yoshitani set about ensuring that the organization’s commitment to sustainability rivaled its success as an economic engine. During his tenure, the Port has implemented successful air quality initiatives, invested in significant environmental remediation projects, and has instituted ambitious energy-saving and recycling programs. He created a Real Estate division to better manage the organization’s real estate holdings and consolidated the Port’s many capital development projects into one division that oversees all of the organization’s construction and procurement. He also established the Office of Social Responsibility, which works to ensure equal opportunities for small, minority and women-owned businesses to work with the Port.

Under his leadership, the Port has opened a new runway at Sea-Tac Airport, a new cruise facility at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, and reopened Terminal 30 as a container facility.

From 2004 to 2007, Yoshitani served as Senior Advisor to the National Association of Waterfront Employers, providing industry expertise on port security and environmental issues.

As Executive Director of the Port of Oakland from 2001 to 2004, he led a significant expansion of both the seaport and airport, overseeing environmental permitting and planning that enabled the airport expansion to use “green building” technology. He was Oakland’s Deputy Executive Director from 1998 to 2001.

He is credited with creating the first master plan at the Maryland Port Administration, where he served as Executive Director from 1995 to 1998. As Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, 1989 to 1995, he oversaw the creation of the West Coast’s largest dry bulk export terminal.

A U.S. Army veteran, Yoshitani has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned his MBA at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He serves on the National Urban Fellows, Inc. Board of Directors and the National Center for APEC Board. He serves on the boards of a number of local Seattle civic and trade-related organizations.

Even though it’s beneficial for the US to cooperate with the Chinese wherever and whenever possible, we must have the confidence and will to compete with them in markets where we can press our advantage and...